your Beauty Our duty

Creativity was in the air as René Furterer partnered with celebrity stylist Sean James, Workshop Director of the Fred Segal Salon in Los Angeles, for fashion designer Minnie Mortimer’s show, which kicked off Fashion Week Spring 2011 at the chic 1OAK club in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday evening, Sept 8. For the ultimate in styling looks that would be both sophisticated and shining with good health, Sean specifically requested products from René Furterer. Each of the 12 stylists on his team was equipped with a generous supply of René Furterer styling formulas, including the new Vegetal styling system. Above the cacophony of blow-dryers, Sean shared the inspiration for designing the hair looks for the show.

Referring to the lustrous glamour evoked by long, flowing styles worn by Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth during Hollywood’s golden era, Sean said, “It’s all about controlled sophistication. We call our hair look Pin-Up Girl Meets the Beach. The inspiration comes from Minnie’s clothes. The collection is sophisticated but casual. And it can be worn day into night, so I didn’t want hair that’s too overdone.”

Minnie herself told editors that the look of her collection has elements of both the surfer girl and the party girl. Sean continued, “With Minnie’s clothes we went for hair that’s glamorous and fashionable,
yet wearable.”



To prep hair for styling, Sean and his team started with René Furterer Volumea Volumizing Foam ($23 at Sephora). “We work the foam through the hair with a brush,” says Sean, “quickly blow-drying hair to smooth out any frizziness. The Volumea foam helps to set the hair.” Sean’s fave blow-dryer: the BaByliss Pro Volare.

Next, hair was parted on the side. Why a side part? Again referring to the allure of the 1940s, Sean says, “Side parts defined the look of that World War II era. It was a sophisticated line like the pencil line that women drew down the back of their legs to make it look like they were wearing expensive seamed nylon stockings. A side part says, ‘We’re in control. No matter what the chaos is…fashion is still here.’”

Then starting at the crown, hair was divided into three-inch-wide sections and, one by one, each section was sprayed with the new René Furterer Vegetal Finishing Spray before it was curled around the rod of a one-inch curling iron. “The spray is very light,” says Sean. “We use it to set the hair as it’s very malleable. I love using the René Furterer products because they help women get a healthy look, a look that they can do themselves. ”

When using the curling iron, Sean had it set on high heat and applied high tension as he curled each section. “When rolling the hair, using heat and tension actually restructures the hair. As hair cools, it cools into the shape we’ve created. We leave the iron in for a few seconds, until heat transfers evenly through the section. Once I see a little steam rise, I know the hair is set. After the rod slips out, we secure the curl with a pin-curl clip.”



The hair in front around the part was curled and pinned last, starting on the left side of the part. “We take sections in sort of a pie shape, in an arc around the part,” says Sean. Once all sections cooled, clips were removed. After releasing curls, hair was brushed through. “You get that gorgeous finish just by brushing the hair,” says Sean.

Next, brushed-out hair was spritzed with René Furterer Glossing Spray for extra shine. “You get this beautiful look, this finished movie star look, ready for the red carpet,” says Sean. Last, hair was sprayed with the new René Furterer Vegetal Finishing Spray. “Look at that shine,” says Sean. “You don’t get that with a lacquer spray. There’s no residue. We finish with the Finishing Spray for hold that will last all night.”

Sean called the glamorous long, loose version of the Pin-Up Girl Meets the Beach his “City Mouse” look. For a few of the models he created the more casual “Country Mouse” version, simply by taking a section around the face on both sides of the part, pulling it back, twisting and rolling it and pinning it into place.

The finishing touches: gorgeously fake eyelashes, strong eyeliner and bold red lips from celebrity makeup artist Sharon Gault of Opus Beauty and her team—the perfect complement to the shining, flowing tresses designed by Sean James. The models were ready for show-time. And after guests enjoyed the evening of spring fashion and beauty, they exited to receive their Minnie Mortimer gift bag, which included another of Sean’s faves: the René Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo ($12 - $24 at Sephora).